Bajin latest to depart Wozniacki’s team

Sascha Bajin, hitting partner to Caroline Wozniacki, took to Twitter on Wednesday to announce he would no longer be working with the Dane in 2018.

Wozniacki ended 2017 at world No.3 after one of the best seasons of her career, capped with her biggest ever title at the WTA Finals and highlighted by eight WTA finals and 60 match wins.

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Hey guys just wanted to keep you all informed and up to date. @CaroWozniacki and I parted ways. I feel very honored and humbled to have been able to work with you and get to know you. Your an amazing athlete and great person nothing but the best for your future. ????????????????????????

— sascha Bajin (@BigSascha) November 15, 2017

Thank you for making me feel like part of the family. It was an unforgettable year… ????????

— sascha Bajin (@BigSascha) November 15, 2017

It is unclear why the relationship is ending, or who Wozniacki plans to work with – if anyone at all – besides her omnipresent father Piotr going forward.

A fan asked Bajin what his own plans were for the new season, to which he responded:

No I don't know. Let's see I'm optimistic but I would love some consistency for once. ???????? I just want to work I love this job… https://t.co/bOXXIATZnH

— sascha Bajin (@BigSascha) November 15, 2017

Although Bajin – who had previously worked with Serena Williams, Victoria Azarenka and Sloane Stephens – served as a hitting partner to Wozniacki while Piotr was her principle coach, the Serb said his work went beyond simply trading shots with Wozniacki on the practice court.

“I get labelled more as a hitter because I play with all my players,” he said on the Beyond the Baseline tennis podcast in April 2017. “I do a lot of gym stuff with Caroline as well.”

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Added Wozniacki, when talking with WTA Insider in February 2017: “He helps my dad. He looks at the matches, too. He scouts and they talk a lot what they feel I can improve on and things like that. He comes with inputs and practices. He’s definitely a hitter plus. Assistant coach, I guess.”

Wozniacki has a long history of brief working relationships with coaches – whether they be full time, consultants, or, in Bajin’s case, an assistant coach/practice partner.

This coaching carousel was canvassed in a Sports Illustrated piece in March 2014, covering the split with Mortensen.

“It’s just the latest twist in the ongoing saga of Wozniacki’s impenetrable coaching setup with her father, Piotr, who has been by her side throughout her career.

“When it comes to the coaching hot seat in tennis, no seat is hotter than the one next to Wozniacki.

“Mortensen, who coached Li Na when she won the French Open in 2011, told Ekstra Bladet that Wozniacki has chosen to focus on rediscovering the game that brought her to No. 1 in 2010 rather than taking any suggestions he might have on how to improve it.

“‘I can’t do much more right now,’ Mortensen said, as translated by tennis.com. ‘It’s better if the two of them continue working alone. Caroline doesn’t feel that the time is right to work on the things I’d like to change in her game.'”

The coaching speculation is annoying. Only truth is that David Kotyza stopped because of family reasons.

— Caroline Wozniacki (@CaroWozniacki) August 26, 2016

Wozniacki stressed in August 2016 that it was Kotyza’s decision to stop working with her, while the Sanchez Vicario relationship, according to a spokesman, ended due to Sanchez Vicario “backing out of the agreement”.

“She couldn’t get traveling to tournaments and her family life to fit together,” he said. “They’re still in constant contact with each other. The hope is that a more permanent working relationship will start from the beginning of next year.”